Gun amnesty turns up historic firearms in WA

Australia's biggest gun amnesty in two decades

The Federal Government’s gun amnesty has turned up some incredible historical finds across WA, with owners handing in rare weapons dating to before the Boer War.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan said more than 300 weapons had been passed to WA Police in the first month of its no-questions-asked hand-back, with more than 12,500 guns surrendered nationally.

Mr Keenan said the WA amnesty had seen some items of real historical significance given to police, including one rifle used by the British army in the late 1800s.

The Martini-Enfield rifle was handed in to a police station in the Great Southern by an unidentified man who found it in a relative’s belongings.

An old handgun, believed to be made in Belgium almost a century ago was handed in to police in the Wheatbelt. A pistol surrendered at Pingelly police station had been held by its owner since 1953, when as a 17-year-old he exchanged it for cigarettes with people who had been working on the family property.

Guns of significance will be handed to cultural institutions for proper care. Most weapons are destroyed.

The Federal Government introduced its latest gun amnesty amid fears unsecured weapons could be used in a terror attack. The last major amnesty was introduced in 1996 in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre. There is no cost in handing in a firearm and no personal details are required from the owner.

The amnesty finishes on September 30. The Government is warning that after then, those caught with unregistered firearms face hefty fines or even a jail term. Other States have also turned up rare historical items dating back to the Vietnam conflict or the World Wars I and II as part of the amnesty.

In Brisbane, an elderly widow clearing out her husband’s estate discovered a rare World War I aircraft machinegun.

Other finds around Australia include German Lugers and American Colt pistols.

In 2014, Man Haron Monis took 18 people hostage at the Lindt cafe and murdered one with a gun bought on Sydney’s black market.